1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for controlling different devices based on voice.
2) Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various devices have been introduced into houses and offices. These devices operate based on their respective own interfaces. Further, these devices have increased functions according to the needs of users, which causes the trend of the functions toward more advanced and more multiple.
However, there is a tendency that the user interface becomes complex as the functions of the devices are being more advanced and multiple. In order to manage the complex interface, it is necessary to carefully read a manual of the interface, understand how to use the interface, and remember the method. In other words, in order to manage the complex devices, users need to make effort. Depending on users, they cannot utilize the devices. Further, depending on users, they do not intend to read the whole manual whose amount increases along the increase in functions. They tend to extract only functions considered necessary and refer to only corresponding portions of the manual, and therefore the functions may be insufficiently utilized even though these functions are useful for these users.
In order to control each device, the user needs to move to each position. Along the increase in the sophistication of devices in recent years, a reservation function is provided in various kinds of devices such as a video deck, a rice cooker, or an air conditioner. It is however required for the user to set the reservation function at each position of the device.
As each device operates independently, it is not possible to operate a plurality of devices by linking them to each other. For example, if rice cooking, air conditioning, and hot water supply to a bathtub are started to operate at respective predetermined times before the user gets home, the user is required to set a reservation function to each device separately.
Taking the situation above into consideration, it is desirable to integrally control the plurality of devices introduced in houses and offices, and the control can be instructed in voice or the like. Further, it is ideal that the devices are controlled using a sentence at a daily conversation level instead of a sentence fixed in advance. Further, in integrally controlling the devices in voice or the like, it is necessary to decide whether a user instruction is to be executed or not from the viewpoint of security and protection against disasters. Further, when contradictory requests have been issued from a plurality of users, it is necessary to decide the requests flexibly and automatically according to situations.